dreadstealth
Registered Member
im looking at buying a 1989 k5 with a 350/sm465/33" im trying to decide weather i should get a car because of gas prices going nowhere but up. or getting a k5. the owner says it gets 15 mpg+
CK5
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dd's
- Thread starter dreadstealth
- Start date
GMCJason
1/2 ton status
Obviously no one can answer this for your as it's your money and, ultimately, your decision. My advice would be to look hard at your motivations for buying a car. If all you want is a dd then then the K5, as cool as it may be, may not be your best bet even if you do manage 15+ mpg.
But, if you want to wheel and you don't think you'll be kicking yourself in a month or two because you're spending a small fortune on gas then do it. If this is the case then you probably won't be happy with an econobox.
Good luck with your decision.
But, if you want to wheel and you don't think you'll be kicking yourself in a month or two because you're spending a small fortune on gas then do it. If this is the case then you probably won't be happy with an econobox.
Good luck with your decision.
15mpg might be extending the truth, but maybe not, i dont remember how mine did when it was stock. id say get the k5 if its in good condition for a fair price if its something you want. just be aware of the rising gas prices and combine trips out instead of driving out for one little thing.
if you stay on here, it might not stay stock for long
if you stay on here, it might not stay stock for long
Thunder
3/4 ton status
I have a 89 k5 with 33s and average combo city/highway 15 MPG no problem. So i dont think he is BSing you about the MPG. But even getting 15 MPG, it still costs some cash to fill up that 30 gallon tank. I drive 200+ miles a week commuting. A tank lasts almost 2 weeks if I drive real easy and keep it under 70 on the highway. I dd my Blazer in the winter during the bad weather/snow season. Rest of the time I drive my econobox 5.0 HO Mustang.
I've got an '89 New Yorker I bought from my aunt whom moved into a retirement home and the damn thing is at half tank of gas and on Wed. will be three weeks I've been driving it.
Its got a 3.0 liter and it was cheap. $500 is what I paid for the ****er.
Its got a 3.0 liter and it was cheap. $500 is what I paid for the ****er.
dreadstealth
Registered Member
im leanning towards the blazer. i had an 87 with 37" MTR's and i loved it. i havent been wheeling but ive got the mad itch. i can still get the blazer at anytime. i have a 6.2 that needs to be rebuilt and im thinking about going that route. its gonna take time and money though. thanks for the help. i have all the plans for lifting it but im trying to keep my mpg's up in the mid or high tens.
dreadstealth said:
IMO that is a highway mpg figure, and it would get considerably less around town. My crewcab had the same powertrain, but heavier of course - and 4.10s. 12mpg tops highway.
I would keep looking.... maybe you can find a compromise between an econo-box car and a K5 on gas. I know the small cars I tried never lived up to the percieved mpg economy, and had ZERO utility factor - so I had to keep an extra vehicle (truck) insured anyways.
my old 84 got around 15mpg with 33s. got a little bit better, may 1 or 2 mpg better when I swaped in 3.73s and an sm465. I mostly drove around town with little or no highway mileage. that combo has good gearing and with a properly tuned motor thats not over built it is possible to get about 15mpg but not much better.
if it were me givin my personality that refuses to drive any car other than an old hot rod, which would get even worse gas mileage, I would buy the blazer. if the gas is too expensive get a cheap bike. I would love to have a bike to drive around and save my truck for a rainy day.
if it were me givin my personality that refuses to drive any car other than an old hot rod, which would get even worse gas mileage, I would buy the blazer. if the gas is too expensive get a cheap bike. I would love to have a bike to drive around and save my truck for a rainy day.
atho
1/2 ton status
u2slow said:I would keep looking.... maybe you can find a compromise between an econo-box car and a K5 on gas. I know the small cars I tried never lived up to the percieved mpg economy, and had ZERO utility factor - so I had to keep an extra vehicle (truck) insured anyways.
I know some of the people here will have a problem with it, but my F150 4x4 with the 4.9L6 gets 20 mpg. This is mostly highway with a little city thrown in. I don't drive it stupid, either. If I drive all city it drops to 17-18, but again I'm not dumping the clutch at every light.
I've heard the 4.3 V6 gets similar mileage #'s in a fullsize Chevy, but I don't know if K5's ever had them.
That or, get a bike.
Col_Sanders
3/4 ton status
Buy a cheapo car for DD and the K5 for weekends/messin around.
It all depends on one single factor.......
How many miles do you drive a year? That is HUGE.
If you are like some and stay very local, averaging 7,500miles or less a year, a K5 vs. a car with a V6 won't cost that much more to drive.
If you drive 35K+ a year, then there will be a huge difference.
If gas costs are your only concern it's easy to decide.
Take your annual miles, divide them by an average of 14mpg, and times that number to $3.50 a gallon.
Do the same process with say, 22mpg (your average mileage with a sedan?) , then minus that from the K5 annual fuel cost and decide if that dollar difference is worth it or not.
For fun, I just did a little math. If a guy drove 10K annually, and with the fuel numbers I just listed, it would cost(theoretically) $984 more to drive the K5 per year.
How many miles do you drive a year? That is HUGE.
If you are like some and stay very local, averaging 7,500miles or less a year, a K5 vs. a car with a V6 won't cost that much more to drive.
If you drive 35K+ a year, then there will be a huge difference.
If gas costs are your only concern it's easy to decide.
Take your annual miles, divide them by an average of 14mpg, and times that number to $3.50 a gallon.
Do the same process with say, 22mpg (your average mileage with a sedan?) , then minus that from the K5 annual fuel cost and decide if that dollar difference is worth it or not.
For fun, I just did a little math. If a guy drove 10K annually, and with the fuel numbers I just listed, it would cost(theoretically) $984 more to drive the K5 per year.
dreadstealth
Registered Member
i think im gonna go ahead and get the blazer and just hope for the best. i tried to get a car yesterday and cant get financed so i guess i have no choice. but really deep down inside i want the k5 soooooooo much more. thanks for the help guys.
dreadstealth said:
Financed means a monthly payment.....with no payment on a K5, that leaves a lot of room for gas money.
Col_Sanders
3/4 ton status
rjfguitar said:
So true. I'd rather pay the $60/month for insurance and $200/month for gas than $420 car payment, $80/month insurance, and $100/month for gas.
dreadstealth
Registered Member
legitimate point. i need to get a place to call my own though.
Metrodps said:I filled my Blazer up today 31 gal $99.78
I looked for a guy with a mask on
My Suburban has a 50 gallon tank, and gets 6.9MPG....... I feel you brother!
pauly383
Daddy383
How far is the commute each day ?
My DD for the past 4 years has been a crappy smashed up old '95 Neon. The car is a pile of crap, but it is paid for, cheap to insure, and gets ~25city/35highway. It is worthless, I don't think I could give it away. If gas prices are huting you enough with the K5 to make insuring another car worth it go by a nasty beater econobox - you should be able to find one for next to nothing. I'd like to be able to tell you that I'm putting an LS2 in my K5 with the thousands of dollars that I saved by driving the Neon, but I can't seem to remember where I put all that money 
My DD is a '95 5.0L mustang, I bought it for under a grand, cause it didn't run, put about $300 in it. It gets 23-25 mpg & i commute an hour each way, so it is worth it. The new crew cab loves the gas, so my wife will be using it for grocery duty mostly.
